GGLABS GS2HD

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GGLABS GS2HD

Does anyone have experience with this card? I just received mine (decent shipping time). I tried it with two LCD TVs. One worked, the other didn't. Does anyone have any idea why?

after doing some web searching, I read a component to HDMI converter might help. Thoughts?

As for the picture, I am well satisfied. One vertical line on the left is mostly white, with some random white/black at the ends.

Any help appreciated.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

If you are in the US (US pirces are really low compared to European ones) then buy a real //GS monitor and enjoy the real quality picture as Apple designed it to be! Or, use a SCART cable and TV set that has such connector.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

If you are in the US (US pirces are really low compared to European ones) then buy a real //GS monitor and enjoy the real quality picture as Apple designed it to be! Or, use a SCART cable and TV set that has such connector.

I have a real GS monitor. I bought it with the GS 30ish(?) years ago. I don't want to have to go shopping for another TV, especially a non-standard one.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

I'm planning on buying one when I get back from holidays.
Aside from the IIgs, I have a IIe with an AE RamWorks and daughter card that I've used with a IIgs monitor. I'm hoping the GS2HD might also work there.
Aside from my TV, I also have an eyeTV with component inputs that I'm hopeful will work

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

There is a website that sells a component to VGA converter commonly found on ebay but this one comes with an enclosure you can get with it which is NOT commonly found ANYWHERE.

You can also find the power supply stuff for it there too.

http://arcadeforge.net/Scaler-and-Strike-Devices/cga2vga-Scaler-PCB::13.html?MODsid=ce8465793418ad144145921e38eb7ef0

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

Thanks.
I'll take a look at that.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

The SCART connector is more than a standard for TV sets. Maybe this is not valid in the US.

These composite/component to VGA converters use digital processing with less than sufficient resolution that leads to very poor image quality when it comes to computers. Especially when the to 80col text is displayed. The LCD TV set own processing from SCART (RGB) is usually much much better and in fact technically is the same but with better resolution.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

I have tried quite a few different ways to connect a iigs to newer displays and none seems to have better resolution than the other.

In the U.S. you can buy a few Samsung monitors which have a SCART connector. Take a look:

http://noboot.com/charlie/a2gslcd.htm

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

I did a huge write-up about the Apple IIGS and SCART with that same Samsung monitor over at: http://www.oldtechnewtech.com/scart-lcd-monitors-with-the-apple-iigs/ that you might find useful.

-Warr

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

I received my GS2HD adapter yesterday. Works well, all the print is crisp, colours are good. Does everything it was advertized to do. A good purchase.

I had some small hopes it might do something else. I have an AE daughter card for the RamWorks and a MultiramRGB card that’ll use a IIgs monitor. No luck with them but I never really expected them to work only hoped. No magic smoke was released

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

Personally, I have had better luck with the GBS-8220 (and GBS-8200) over the GS Labs GS2HD.

The 8220 has two VGA outs, and the 8200 has only one VGA out.

From what I've gathered, the GBS-8220 is a generic kit made by a Chinese company - and may be actually manufactured (soldered) by any number of smaller shops around the world.

They are about $20-$25 a pop these days. I actually wound up with three.

The first one, which was made under the "SainSmart" brand - didn't work at all. I kept second guessing myself on pinouts and connection methods. After it worked suddenly once, and then stopped again - I figured it was a bad card.

The second one, was branded under "Andoer" and sold on Amazon. I went this route as it was listed on Amazon as "In Stock" and eligible for Prime Shipping. However, I think the guy that runs the "Andoer" shop on Amazon was feeding incorrect information to Amazon and didn't have the part in stock. Took about a week longer than advertised to actually even ship.

I was beginning to think the Andoer item wouldn't ever ship so I went to Ebay and found a number of sellers that advertised US stock, so I tried one of those. This would be the method I'd recommend for prompt delivery. I still have the part in the shipping package untested.

The Andoer part is in service, and seems to offer the most crisp image as far as Text, Low Res, Hi Res, Double Hi Res, SHR 320. I haven't tested 3200 mode.

SHR 640 is tolerable, but less than ideal with any case.

I can share my pinouts for the GB-8220 if interested. There are several methods for doing so, I put one together that was easy and didn't require modification to the motherboard. But you'll need an appropriate DB15 connector to make this. If you search Amazon for "Daughter Cards & OEM Boards DB15 Female (VGA) Breakout Board" you'll see the connector I used - though there may be a better option since I wasn't thinking about the securing bolts getting in the way.

The GBS-8200 / GBS-8220 devices should ship with a small cable that you can screw directly into the breakout board.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

Just a quick addition, I didn't want to dog GGLABS on my comments here. I'm a big fan of anyone making new hardware for the Apple II. In fact, I'm very impressed by his memory products and use his RAMGS 4MB card.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

I can share my pinouts for the GB-8220 if interested.

Yes, I'm interested.
Thanks.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

Yes, I'm interested.
Thanks.

As mentioned, there are multiple ways of doing this. You can actually have this pin'd from an Apple IIGS DB15 to VGA and run into a VGA input on the GBS-8220 (or GBS-8200). I had mine configured this way at one point, but undid it in the process of troubleshooting the aforementioned faulty board.

In that case, the essential pins needed are ...

References: http://apple2.info/wiki/index.php?title=Pinouts#IIGS_.28and_Apple_.2F.2F.2F.29_RGB_Connector

http://damntechnology.blogspot.com/2008/08/apple-iigs-rgb-video-to-component.html

http://carnationsoftware.com/carnation/RSS/Apple_II/Apple_IIgs_Monitor.html

In that last one, the author jumpered 3 to 15 on the motherboard to send composite sync to the right place. This is not needed if you can wire your cables on your own.

DB15 -> VGA
2 -> 1 (Red Analog)
5 -> 2 (Green Analog)
9 -> 3 (Blue Analog)
1 -> 6 (Blue Ground)
7 -> 7 (Green Ground)
13 -> 8 (Blue Ground)
3 -> 13 (Composite Sync)

This would connect to (I believe P10) on the GBS-8220.

Note, this method *seemed* to work, but I cannot be 100% sure as I have not revisited it after my earlier troubleshooting. Once I got the P11 method working below, I left it at that.

The GBS-8220 / GBS-8200 devices seem to be shipped with a ready to go Crimp & Pin molex connector for use on the P11 input. The GBS-8220 side is already pinned out, you'll just need to screw these into a breakout connector (pictured).

Also note, ideally - long term - I have a more elaborate solution here. I may revert to the VGA cabling or do some sort of shielding/heat shrinking. You can see my sample connection here...

DB15 -> P11 input (GBS-82x0)
2 -> Red (Red Input)
3 -> Gray (Composite Sync)
5 -> Green (Green Input)
13 -> Black (Blue Ground which acts as a common ground to Red/Green/Blue)
9 -> Blue (Blue Input)
Yellow is not needed on the P11 input.

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Re: GGLABS GS2HD

A supplemental note, as some of the cited authors mentioned - there's a little bit of a power sensitivity on the boards. I ordered SWI12-5-N-P5 from Mouser Electronics, which appears to be available through several online parts shops. This is a 5V/2.5A adapter/adaptor with the right dimensions on the output (which I had written down, but do not have with me).

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